The Medical Examiner is appointed by the Board of Commissioners and is a licensed physician. The Medical Examiner in turn appoints Deputy Medical Examiners and Medical Examiner Investigators.

The Medical Examiner program is required by Michigan Law to investigate deaths that are sudden, suspicious, unexpected, violent, accidental, occur in jails or prisons or happen without medical attention within a 48-hour period. The Medical Examiner has the authority to order an autopsy at any time it is deemed necessary to determine or confirm the cause and manner of death.